


Rumor Has It

by Sweetsango



Category: One Piece
Genre: F/M, Humor, Mutual Pining, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:48:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25626205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sweetsango/pseuds/Sweetsango
Summary: Even the black sheep of the Navy need their source of entertainment. And if said entertainment including a secret channel of information, no one will bat an eye. Well, not until they insert their beloved Captain-chan in their gossip link anyway. Now, with the newest rumor they have acquired, G5 soldiers hope they will still safe and sound at the end of the day.
Relationships: Roronoa Zoro/Tashigi
Comments: 39
Kudos: 47
Collections: Set Sail One Piece Mid Year Exchange 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lunamars (lunnamars)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunnamars/gifts).



> My part of the Set Sail! One Piece Mid Year Exchange. I have been thinking that I'm crazy to join this big event when my writing is in the lower part of mediocre. But I've been ecstatic and curious, and the ladies in the Zotash discord is such a great influence, and we encourage each other to participate in this exchange. What has been 800 words goals, quickly escalated to a story with four chapters. I'm such a mess, I know. But I hope you like this story and having fun with the best bunch of misfits that is G5 soldiers.  
> And of course for my match, I've got our beloved leader. Hope you like this story, Luna, like I love yours.

“Hey look! That’s GF Soldiers!!” an old man told his neighbor.

“Getting drunk and partying in the daytime? They’re so obnoxious” the woman chimed in.

The sound of footsteps suddenly stopped, and the sound owner approached the nervous villagers.

“Do you have a problem?!!” One of the G5 soldiers snaps, “This island is safe from pirates who are worth over 100 million berries because we obnoxious soldiers are going around like this for you people. Don’t you think so?! Huh!”

“We deserve a little break, don’t we?” another soldier butts in.

“ W-well… “ both of the villagers panicking.

“G5!!” 

Suddenly a voice booms out of nowhere, and all of them freeze on the spot. 

“Back to the ship! We are called back to the headquarter!”

“Yes, Smo-Yan!!!” 

And then all of the G5 soldiers running, when Vice Admiral Smoker ordered them with a stern tone like that, nobody stupid enough to argue. 

\---

“What’s the code?” a soldier with a slash scar on his chin whispers to his comrade behind him.

“Turbine Chronicle,” His comrade whispered back after making sure they are alone.

They are hidden in a secluded corner of a warehouse, alone, but if anyone looks at their fidgety behavior, you’d think they were up to no good, something criminal. The soldier with a scar carefully slides a piece of paper and his partner quickly snatches it from his hand. Discreetly he opens the paper, scanning the contents, and then takes a lighter from his pocket to burn the paper.

“Is it accurate?” He asks, “What do you mean by that!?” His friend sounds offended, “ Of course I always have the most accurate news!”

“Good..good…” He smirks, “Prepare a betting pool. I’ll make sure everyone joins this time.”

He leaves their hiding place after making sure that nobody was around, whistling an off-tone tune “ _I’ll have to let the others know that Commodore Yarisugi is getting dumped by a girl.”_

\---

The commotion can be heard from the yard, soldiers running around, screaming unintelligibly, dust flying everywhere not unlike there was an enemy attack the Naval basecamp. Shui Kao, a brute with a bald head and tilted tie, one of the few G5 soldiers from Unit 01 who has some common sense, running to the center of the yard. He drags along a man in a white coat, easily identified as one of their doctors. The doctor, a man in his middle age, spots a body in their midst and gasps.

“Captain Tashigi” He exclaims as he immediately kneels beside her prone form. He checks her vital signs and looks for any sign of injury.“What the hell is happening here?”

What he receives are too many simultaneous answers, overlapping one another until he can’t make any word from it. He has enough.

“SHUT UP!!!!” His howl manages to make all the soldiers stop in their mid-sentence.

He growls “Now, YOU!!” he points to Shui Kao, “What’s happened with Captain Tashigi?”

Shui Kao, a big man he is, cowers in front of their head medics. “ W-w-we doesn’t know why s-s-she suddenly fainted when supervising the new cadet’s practice sword fighting,” he stutters.

Doctor Akito squints his eyes, switching his attention to Tashigi, and gives them orders.“You two! Get me a stretcher from the clinic! And all of you, GET LOST!! IF I SEE ANY OF YOU STILL HOVERING AROUND HERE, I'LL MAKE SURE YOUR VISIT TO THE CLINIC WILL NOT BE ENJOYABLE!!"

"Eh….." all of the soldiers chorus dramatically. The doctor’s threat succeeds in making them scatter; just in time too. A blonde man, with an immaculate jacket and neatly combed hair, appears. He looks at the doctor when he picks Tashigi up and places her to the stretcher that arrives.

“Is she okay?” His expression didn’t show anything when he addresses the doctor.

“Nothing that I could find at the moment, Commodore Asuka.” He answers. “I’ll take her to the clinic now.” He signs the two soldiers to take Tashigi to the clinic and hears Commodore Asuka orders the soldiers in the yard to continue their training. Looks like the soldiers already have a substitute supervisor now.

\---

“How could you not know what happened with Captain-chan!” a brunette man accuses the man in front of him.

“Oh.. don’t you dare to talk to me like that!” The said man affronted.

“You just have to get information from the clinic! How hard could it be!?” another brute with a tilted hat, also throw his complaint.

“HOW HARD?? HOW HARD, DID YOU SAY???” Yoshi, the brunette soldier from Unit 02 G5 Division, the so-called ‘rumor master’, screeches, “YOU KNOW DOCTOR AKITO IS A CREEPY OLD MAN! HE SAID IF HE SAW ME ONCE MORE NEAR HIS CLINIC, THAT HE WOULD PERSONALLY MAKE SURE THAT I WOULD NEVER GET AN ANAESTHETIC WHEN I MUST HAVE SURGERY!!”

“YOU JUST NEED TO BE MORE DISCREET, STUPID!!”

“OH, LET ME SHOW YOU WHO IS THE STUPID ONE!!”

They jump apart at the sudden bang. The sound of a broken table ceases their fight. They turn their head to the source of the sound only to find Shui Kao gritting his teeth, with a clenched fist and red eyes showing his fury.

“Enough of this stupidity!!” He growls, loud enough to be heard in the silent room. They were in a secluded warehouse, with all of the units of the G5 division sent their representatives. 

There are two soldiers hidden in front of the entrance, standing guard, and will warn them if there are any of their superiors passing through. It is an important meeting, with the wellbeing of their beloved Captain Tashigi at stake, but they are engrossed in their petty squabble. And it has to be his duty, as a representative from Unit 01 where Captain-chan currently served, to make sure this meeting goes as smoothly as possible and they can help Captain-chan later.

“Kazu!” he addresses a representative from Unit 05, “What did you find about Captain Chan?”

Kazu, a skinny man, and wearing black glasses, stands proud of the attention. With an air of importance, he reports his finding,

“I’ve been tailing Captain chan this past three days.” 

He begins, “It was so worrying when I saw her so pale and she looked so fragile at that moment. I saw her only toying with her food, not even eating it and she looked paler and resisted to vomiting. She didn’t touch her coffee too. You know how she always drinks her coffee and never skips breakfast.”

“Pale? Are you sure your eyes didn’t deceive you?” Mokun, a representative from Unit 03 interrupts Kazu. 

“I saw her scaring a new cadet because he mistakenly gave her the wrong book. I never saw Captain chan that scary.” He shudders to remember that incident.

“What the hell are you talking about?” It’s now Honudin from Unit 04 protests, “She was crying yesterday just because she accidentally tripped and dropped a bucket of water on me. She repeatedly asked me for forgiveness although I’ve said it was fine, no harm done. She is too kind for her own good.” 

“She positively looked like she was glowing two days ago” Moropia, a soldier from units 06 adds, he doesn’t want to look like he is slacking in his report. “I was bypassing her in the hall last night, she looks so happy that I felt like she was glowing. She was so pretty last night,” He sighs dreamily.

Shui Kao frowns, he doesn’t like all of the news that he’s hearing. Everything so bewildering and contradictory. Something needs to be done, as soon as possible.

He looks at his comrades who start bickering once again.

“The Doc said she is fine” He informs them, “ Just need more rest.”

They all look at him strangely.

“The Doc gives you information about Captain chan?” They ask, disbelief clear in their eyes.

“I have my own way” Shui Kao answers cryptically, of course, he doesn’t want his comrades to know what he did to have that information.

“But we really need to know more and fast. A couple of days ago when I was at her office to tell her that Smo-yan called her, she was smiling and looked so happy while watching a piece of paper. But she put it in her drawer abruptly when she noticed I was there”

The silence in that warehouse is worrying, considering quiet and G5 never mentioned together.

“We need to know what is in that paper. I have a hunch that paper will let us know what happens with her.”

“Wait a minute Shui Kao!!” Kazu cuts in, “ Are you telling us that we have to break into Captain Chan’s office?” 

“WE HAVE NO OTHER WAY!!” Shui Kao yells. “I know it is very risky if our superiors know about what we will do, worse if Smo-Yan knows about this. He will kill us for sure.” He looks around the people in that room, “So, are you ready for this and the consequences or not?”

His comrades look to one another. Oh, they will be in big trouble for this. They know it. But their name as an elite team of gossips is questioned by all soldiers of G5 because they didn’t have valid info about the wellbeing of Captain Tashigi albeit they have complete almost all of the personal information of said captain. This time, they have to do this high-risk mission.

“Alright,” Moropia answers for all of them “ What is the plan?”

\---

Kazu is chosen as the person who will sneak in Captain Tashigi’s office, due to his skill for picking a lock. if he didn’t join the navy, he definitely would have been a professional thief. When his comrades distract Captain-chan and lead her away from the office, he expertly opens the locked door and goes inside. 

Kazu goes straight to her desk. All her documents and personal belonging are neatly arranged. Opening the desk’s drawer, he uses a pin to open the lock. After several attempts and drawers, something finally catches his eyes.

A little picture, only 5x5 cms long, but it stops his heart for a moment. With trembling hands, he looks at the picture carefully. His body feels cold, his blood is freezing, and he will stay that way if not for the sound coming from inside of his clothes and breaking his stupor. His body and his brain don’t know what to do or think or how to act at the moment.

“Kazu, have you got it?” Mokun’s voice can be heard from the baby Den Den Mushi.

“Yes, I have,” Kazu whispers back.

“Quick, get out of there. Captain-chan is heading there!”

Trying desperately to calm his nerve, Kazu places the picture back in the drawer, locks all of the drawers, and silently exits the office, running as fast as he can to the predetermined place. He does it just in time because when he turns a corner, Captain Tashigi is seen walking towards her office.

Out of breath, body shaking from the adrenalin rush, he finds the others, immediately he is bombarded with many questions from his partners in crime.

"How is it? What did you find? You didn’t encounter anyone else, right?”

He raises his right hand to halt their questions, busy catching his breath.

“ I have found it,” Kazu says at last after he rights himself. All of them giving him their undivided attention makes him gulps nervously.

“I’ve found a picture,” he shuddered when remembers it,

“Picture? What picture??” Shui Kao approaches him,

“Is it a picture of a man?” Honudin starts shaking him,

“Does she already has a boyfriend?” Kazu states with a disbelief expression,

“Oh no!! No..No...No..!!! It is so much worse!!!” Kasu says

“Worse? What is worse than Captain chan having a boyfriend?” Moropia inquires,

”I’ve found an ultrasound picture!!” Kazu yells,

He slaps his forehead when his comrades only look at him confused, clearly doesn’t understand what he said.

“It means Captain Chan is pregnant you stupid oafs!!” Kazu explains with a choked voice.

“WHAATTTTT????” They cry hysterically.

“CAPTAIN CHAN IS PREGNANT?!”

How could they miss it? All of the symptoms, when they think about it, were signs for her being pregnant.

“Captain chaaaaannnn…..” They wail, tears streaming down their eyes.

“What must we do noooow?” Sobbing, they seem can’t accept the fact that it turns out their beloved captain already has a lover without them knowing.

“We couldn’t do anything about it,” As always, Shui Kao is their warranty for having the most common sense. “We tell the other, but remember, this is super-secret information. Our superiors, especially Smo-Yan can’t know about this.”

Reluctantly they agree, for Captain chan’s sake. 

With the chaos that ensued after that day the rumor spread came the million berri question.

WHO THE HELL IS THE FATHER?? 

  
  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

"What the hell are you doing here, woman?" Vice Admiral Smoker's voice could be heard by all of the soldiers on the naval ship, making all of them stop what they do and watch their beloved Captain Tashigi walking on board.

"Smoker-san, I can still help on this ship!" She answers him "I just feel a little dizzy sometimes, and it’s not even that severe. I’m sure that I wouldn’t be a liability in the mission."

"The doctor already ordered you to take days off and rest, Tashigi! You would just trip and fall into the sea in your condition. Don’t be stubborn or I’ll give you punishment for insubordination!”

"B-b-but Smoker-san! I promise I won’t a burden on this mission! Please give me a chance!” She tries to appeal to him with her pleading face.

"Do you doubt my ability to assist Vice Admiral Smoker, Captain Tashigi?” A new voice interrupts her from the direction of the ship’s deck.

"N-No, that’s not what I mean, Commodore Asuka. Of course, you should do your job. Please forgive me for this misunderstanding.” She bows to him, and then tries to ask once more, “I just want to help this mission.”

"If you really want to help, Captain,” Commodore Asuka emphasizes the word ‘help’, “Go back to your room and rest. Leave the mission in our hands; we are capable enough, even without your help.”

The soldiers see Captain Tashigi’s shoulder droop and with a bow to both Smoker-Yan and the commodore, she leaves the ship.

When the vice-admiral turns glares at them, they immediately scatter and resume their job. Without Captain-chan with them this time, they know this time their voyage will suck.  
\---  
"You! Move those crates inside!" Commodore Asuka orders some of the soldiers, "You! Why are you just standing there?! Clean this ship! I don't want any wet surfaces on the deck!'

The soldiers leave to do their duty while grumbling and Asuka continue to order all the soldiers around.

"Why do we have that stupid commodore with us?"  
Taeru grumbles to his comrade.  
"It'll be so much better if Captain-chan comes with us," the other soldier whines.

"Shhh!!!!" Don't let him hear you!" Shui Kao warns them.

"What's the problem with him anyway? He's just a misfit like us, even if he didn't want to admit it. Hell, he was transferred to G5 because he punched a vice admiral's son."

A soldier with a beard and missing teeth chimes in, "Struck up asshole prancing around like he owns the place," grumbled the other.

"If only Captain-chan was with us right now," they all sigh.

With her 'condition', she couldn't sail with them at the moment. And now they have to be in the same space with that stuck up asshole.

"An island!!" A cry from above diverted them from their self-pity and they scattered to do their assigned jobs before they docked to the island.  
\---  
A surprise, they couldn't decide if it was good or bad, because the Strawhats were always doing something good but in pirate's way. When they come to save the island from one of the Blackbeard's subordinates, they find that the Strawhats are already there. Apparently, their log pose has guided them to this island, where they found all of the islanders within Blackbeard's clutches.

So, with great reluctance, Smo-yan orders them to work side by side with Strawhats (again) while he and Monkey D. Luffy beat the shit of that criminal (again). They have jobs to do, making sure that the islanders are safe, guarding the village against the pirates and keep themselves alive.

But one thing that they are enjoying immensely is Commodore Asuka’s expression when Smo-Yan ordered him to work together with the devil child, Nico Robin, and the sniper, God Ussop, to find the explosives that the Blackbeard’s subordinates spread out throughout the island. Oh, his expression is priceless. He tried to argue and refused to carry out the order. When Smo-Yan furious and told him that if the islanders are dead, it will be on his responsibility. Commodore Asuka reluctantly complied and taking a platoon of soldiers with him.

Don’t be wrong, of course, they still hate pirates, including the Strawhats. But they had learned a long time ago they could work in the gray area as long as it is for justice, and for saving innocent lives. They just have to trust Smo-Yan’s judgment, and it is enough for a bunch of misfits like them.

At the end of the battle, they were victorious, arresting all of the Blackbeard Pirates’ subordinates and the island was safe. Now, as they enjoy a banquette with the Strawhats, a celebration of their triumph, and with happy cheers, they decide to forget their status, just for a while. Eating, drinking, dancing, and singing with the islanders and the Strawhats.

They see Black Leg Sanji, the member of Strawhats that they tolerate the most, approaching them.

\---  
Sanji walks to the far corner of the party where a group of G5 soldiers are drinking and having fun. He is a man with a purpose, as he walks fast and sure. Especially since his purpose is related to a pretty lady that he had not seen at all since Strawhats and G5 had last run into each other, months earlier.

“Where is Tashigi-chan?” Without further ado, Sanji asks the G5 soldiers, “Why the hell isn’t she with you? Is she alright?”

From their sudden rigid body, Sanji assumes the worst, “What happened to her, you idiots!!” He yells and shaking the nearest Navy soldier.

“W-wait... Black Leg!!” one of the soldiers tries to placate him, “She’s fine. She’s not feeling well right now and the doctor told her to rest.”

Sanji releases the soldier and with an annoyed expression, “Why didn’t you tell me that earlier? You made me think she was dead or something.”

When he sees all of the soldiers looking at each other nervously, he knows they’re hiding something.

“What is it?” He looks around and sees the soldiers look ready to escape from his question. “If you don’t answer me, I’ll make sure you’ll be back to your ship in your ’best’ condition,” he threatens.

After several seconds of silent discussion between the soldiers, Shui Kao goes forward hesitantly. And after several more seconds to ensure that Vice Admiral Smoker or Commodore Asuka wasn’t near, thus won’t hear what he will say, and he signals Sanji to come closer.

“What!!” Sanji snaps, annoyed with all of their suspicious antics. But he still comes closer because the curiosity could kill him. _‘This is for Tashigi-chan!’_ He reminds himself.

Shui Kao whispers,” This can’t be heard by our superiors, remember that Black Leg!!”

When Sanji nods, he resumes while staying in a low voice. “Captain-chan is pregnant!”

“WHAAAAATTTTTT????!!!” Forget about secrecy, Sanji shouts out loud, and some G5 Soldiers tackle him and desperately close his mouth with their hands.

“SSSHHHHHH!!!” They all whisper simultaneously.

When Sanji glares at them, they quickly release him.

Their antics draw much attention to them, including Smoker who stares at them suspiciously or that new commander who regard them with disgust clear on his face.

Fortunately, Luffy chooses that moment to laugh out loud and howl “Hey, they know how to party!! Come on, let’s make this merrier!! Where are the fireworks?”

“Don’t be stupid, Luffy!!” Nami interjects, “It’s still late afternoon, you couldn’t set fireworks on a bright sky!”

“Aw..” Luffy pouts, but then he jumps to Smoker’s direction and starts to annoy him.

Safe for now, when all of the previous attention no longer on them, Sanji resumes his digging on the news.

“What the hell are you talking about?!” He half shouts half-whisper while entangling himself further with them. He can’t believe his ears, surely he has mistaken, right?

“It’s true!!” Shui Kao defends himself, “We have already investigated it. We have found an ultrasound picture in her drawer!”

"B-b-but... it's Tashigi-chan!!" Sanji desperately half yells, "How could that happen?"

Shui Kao looks at him with pity, "We didn't know either. What we know is all the symptoms that lead to our investigation, gave us that conclusion."

"Who is it?? Who is the father?"Sanji shakes Shui Kao hard, "Who the hell dares to taint Tashigi-chan?"

"We don't know!"

One of the soldiers bravely intercepts Sanji and saves Shui Kao from further damage, "We have our speculation, but we didn't have any clue."

"We thought it was Captain Dmitri from Unit 02 because we saw Captain-chan have dinner with him two months ago," a soldier comments.

"But it could be Captain Cobi. When Vice-Admiral Garp came last month, Captain-chan spent a lot of time with him," Taeru chimes in.

"Or Captain-chan has a secret lover that we don’t know. We have no clue at all," a bald soldier with white mustache whines.

Sanji still in shock himself, trying to process all of the information in his head. He leaves and goes back to the party, absentmindedly serving food to anyone who asks for it. It’s really big news; whoever the father is, he has stolen Tashigi-chan right under all of the G5 soldier’s nose. They were still trying to find more clues to solve the mystery, and hopefully before the baby is born. Right now, none of their superiors know about Tashigi-Chan’s condition, but who knows what will happen when they find out about it. He took out his cigarette and exhales, sorting all of the important details, when suddenly he remembers something. He smirks, _“Oh, I definitely will enjoy it as long as I can”._

Late, after the Navy leaves, as usual with throwing insult and threat to Strawhats and the islanders back to repair their homes, Sanji approaches his crewmates who are lying around on the beach. Nami wants to wait until tomorrow for them to set sail. So now, they just have to rest and replenish their energy.

“Hey guys, I have some news from G5.”

“News? What kind of news?” Ussop asks him. All of the Strawhats give him their attention, except for one stupid swordsman. But he knows how to have his attention easily.

“It’s about Tashigi-chan”, he answers loud enough so that marimo can hear him. Right on cue, he stirs, opening his eye and staring at him.

 _“Hook, line, sinker,”_ He smirks.

“Is she okay?” It’s Nami that voices the question, “We didn’t see her with Smoker. It’s weird when they were not working together.”

“She’s fine, don’t worry about it,” Sanji answers with a little bit of teasing tone, “It looks like we have to congratulate her when we met her later.”

“Huh? Why?” Franky joining them and throw the questions. “Did she get a promotion?”

Sanji lighting a cigarette before speaking, “No, but I think it’s so much better for her than any kind of promotion,”

Right now, even that stupid green head looks curious enough to sits properly and listen to him. _“Oh, it definitely will be interesting.”_

So he settles with an answer that will surprise them all, including that shitty marimo, “She’s pregnant.”


	3. Chapter 3

The sea is their best friend today, with a clear blue sky, the wind blowing in the right direction; no sudden rain, no storm, and no sea monsters in sight. Such a miraculous circumstance in the new world sea where the weather can’t be predicted and crisis is always lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right time to strike the unsuspecting sailor.

“Hey, Luffy!! We won’t have any fish if you keep moving. Be still!!” Ussop’s voice could be heard from the crow’s nest. 

“They will come!! Come on Ussop, it’s fun, shi shi shi… “

“Oi, Luffy, Ussop, wanna try my new toy?” Franky calls the duo, who promptly leave their fishing post and gush about the sparkly new water gun Franky has created.

“SUGOOOIIIII!!! It is so cool!!” Luffy and Ussop yell simultaneously.

Luffy and Ussop have stars in their eyes looking at the water gun.

“Yohohooo…. that was a fine water gun you have there Franky, “ Brook interrupts their excitement, “Ehm... Captain, could you do me and the ladies a favor and aim your gun to the ladies later so they have some refreshment from this heat?” 

“What do you mean with that, PERVERT!!!” Nami shouts, bonks Brook, the force causing him to lay sprawled on the deck with a big bump on his head.

Luffy and Ussop laugh at him, focusing on the water gun in their hand.

“Let’s fill it with water, Ussop!” With that, they could be heard running inside.

“Hey! Don’t forget about me!! I wanna play too!” Chopper calls before running after them. 

\---

All the commotion below didn’t break Zoro’s focus on his training in the crew’s nest.

He’s in the middle of a battle against his mind, even though his body continues their work out.

 _‘She’s pregnant!’_ He can hear the damn cook’s voice inside his head.

_‘Damn it!! She should be busy training to become stronger! Not being flirty with some asshole trying to get into her pants! Didn’t she say that she wants to gather all the meitou from criminals?’_

_‘G5 soldiers didn’t know who her lover was, but they are still searching.’_ That damn pervert’s voice infiltrates his head again.

 _‘It’s fucking too late! What will they get when they know who her lover is anyway. He already knocked her up.’_ Zoro grits his teeth, trying to keep his strength in check; doesn’t want to accidentally throw his bench press through the window. Franky will make sure Zoro never hears the end of it.

 _‘They said they have this speculation about the father. Probably another G5 Captain that Tashigi chan had a dinner date with before.’_ Once more, he hears that shitty cook’s taunting voice.

 _‘Of fucking course! Such a goody-two-shoes like her will have a good boy as a lover,’_ he growls, now sitting on the bench. Training is forgotten, an image of Tashigi, with some faceless Marine Captain, haunting his mind.

 _‘Fuck him! Damn, but to think that she already has.’_ Zoro slowly stands, reaching for a towel beside him to wipe his face. Hoping it will erase such a disgusting image from his head but to no avail.

 _‘There has been a possibility that it was Coby, for the time they spent together when Garp visited the G5 Homebase,’_ That Ero Cook continues to torment him.

 _‘If that stupid stuttering mess of a boy who knows me since the East Blue is the one responsible for making Glasses pregnant, I will gladly introduce that boy to Enma,’_ Zoro thought evilly, already plotting all the right ways to make whoever is Tashigi’s lover absolutely regrets his decision to snatch her from Zoro. It doesn't matter, not really. they're not dating, don't have any kind of relationship, and besides their usual banter and rivalry. but wasn't that enough? tashigi is his, had often viewed her as 'his woman', and didn't she fucking understand that? yeah, she wouldn't get his swords, but he'd give her the duels she always sought, even when it was pointless, even when she wouldn't win.

“Marimo!!” This time the voice comes from the real man below the deck, “How long will you sulk in there?!” 

“Shut it, Shitty Cook!!” He yells back from the open window.

“Lunchtime!! If you don’t want to eat, that’s up to you. It suits me better anyway,” The Ero cook leaves him, approaching the ladies and starts flirting with them.

“Tch!!” It will do him no good to skip lunch when he already skipped dinner and breakfast today, “I’ll come!” He remarks instead.

\---

“ SANJI!!! I WANT MEAT!!” Luffy screams at the top of his lung while knocking his spoon and fork to the table, making Zoro wince at the sounds.

“Wait your turn! You know the ladies get their meal first!” Sanji denies him and continues serving Nami and Robin.

“Thanks, Sanji,” Nami thanked him while reaching for a pair of spoon and fork.

“This looks delicious, Sanji-Kun.” Robin compliments him.

“ Anything for you Nami- Swaaann… Robin-Chwaaannn…” Sanji replied happily before putting meals to other crew members.

Food distributed, everyone happily eating their meals with occasional banter between bites.

“Say, Luffy,” Nami suddenly addressed the captain, “ We have a good relationship with Smoker, right?”

“Opp cowss..” Luffy nodding while chewing his food.

Zoro looks at Nami; he doesn’t like the strange light he sees in her eyes. From his past experiences, it only meant trouble. Especially when she mentioned Smoker. He has a really bad feeling about this.

“We just recently found out about Tashigi’s condition,” She says with a sly smirk directed at Zoro. He didn’t like where this conversation was going.

“It is such happy news, and she is always nice to us, remember?” She continues.

The other Strawhats murmured their agreement and Luffy still eats his meat, “Yeah… So?”

“Do you think we should give her a present? We are all in debt to her because she is always helping us.”

“Ah… I really agree with you, Nami,” Robin chimes in, with the same twinkling eyes as Nami, and Zoro feels his impending doom. 

Nami sends him a sharp look, and Zoro instantly feels his hackles rise. the witch was up to something- knew he's in for it by the look on her face and he's pissed. He doesn't know why they're so obsessed about a baby they'll never even get to be around. And what the fuck happens to a marine after they have a baby? They'll probably never see her again. unfuckingbelievable.

“That was such a suuupeeeerrr idea” Franky hastily agreed, and Zoro has this sinking feeling that all of his crew’s planning something behind his back.

“I’ve already got this great idea for her present!” Ussop butts in.

“I know she won’t feel well, I’ll give her some vitamins and supplements.” Chopper already starts to mention all of the medicines that he plans to give as a present. “We have to give her details about what she could and could do in every stage of her pregnancy. Ah… and maybe you could help me make some device to help her do light exercises, Franky!”

“Sure, count me in!” Franky give him the thumbs up

Zoro isn't looking forward to the cute reindeer worrying about Tashigi, heavy lump forming in his stomach at Chopper's excited rambling. The reindeer wanted to try to be around her base the later months of her pregnancy because "what if something happens to Tashigi, Luffy!" The casual way Chopper explains the nuances of the child birthing process has him seeing red and Luffy turning green.

“Okay!!” Luffy jumps in, makes the table rattles for his sudden move. “We’ll give her the most awesome presents!!” He yells enthusiastically.

His captain’s excitement makes Zoro groan. Doesn't he understand that she's a marine? And they shouldn't be celebrating this baby? Then again, maybe having the future pirate king coming around will give the man a message. Kid or no kid, Tashigi is part of team Strawhats even if the woman won't admit it. She's theirs, most importantly _his_ , and this guy needs to know it.

“Listen Marimo! You must give her a present too.” 

“Why the hell do I have to give her a present!” Zoro protests vehemently, he doesn’t want anything to do with this gift-giving activity.

“She got herself pregnant, that’s not my business!!” he starts to leave, already fed up with all of this commotion about another man’s baby, but not before he hears Robin says, “Would you feel differently if you were the child’s father, Zoro?”

Zoro just rolls his eye and growls at Robin’s comment. Fucking creepy woman didn't know what she was talking about. He wasn't the fathering type, didn't even think it'd be possible with how infamous the crew's gotten. No, he never wanted a child, hadn't thought about the possibility of a future where he'd settle down long enough to have one. But he figures if he ever _did_ , he'd have a child with a woman who was dedicated to The Way and to swords; to honor and the sea. 

_‘Someone like the marine woman, but not a fucking marine. There's no future between a marine and a pirate.’_

Zoro slams the kitchen’s door before he sees Robin’s smug face or his crews’ knowing looks.

\---

It has been eight months since he’s been promoted as a base commander, a position that he always thinks as a chain. 

_‘Damn that motherfucker Vergo! Even if he was dead he still torments me, making me take his old position._ ’

He didn’t have a choice on the matter either. looks like Akainu, already fed up with his unruly behavior, used this position as his way to punish him and make him easier to control.

 _‘Huh, like I won’t find a way to go out of this base without him tailing me behind.’_ Smoker snorts, the damn Fleet Admiral could kiss his ass if he wants to restrain him. He already left the base four times to catch pirates and investigate all bad blood on the Navy since he became a Base Commander, and he has a plan to continue doing so.

A knock on his office door brought him out of his musing, “Enter!” He orders whoever behind the door.

Three soldiers come, bringing a couple of boxes with them. Smoker squints regard them suspiciously.

“What the hell is this!?” 

The soldiers nervously put all of the boxes in front of Smoker’s desk.

“Packages for Captain Tashigi, Sir,” one of them answered.

“If it is for Tashigi, Why the hell are you bringing it here?” He snaps at them, making the soldiers go frigid.

“The problem is the sender, Sir,” soldier number two explains.

“Who is the sender?” Smoker asks them, suspicion clear in his tone.

“The Strawhats, Sir!”

“What the…” Smoker abruptly stands, moving around his desk and approaching the packages.

“Back off!” He barks, and the soldiers quickly comply with his order.

He takes a knife and opens the boxes.

If the idea that Tashigi is getting packages from the Strawhats is unthinkable, what is inside the package makes the situation become more bizarre. 

“Find Tashigi!” He orders the soldier, “Tell her I need her here ASAP!”

“Yes, Sir!” They leave after they give a salute to him.

“For all of the holy…” Smoker mutters to himself when his hand takes what looks like a pacifier from one of the boxes. 

“Tashigi must have a really good reason for this craziness.” 

He feels a panic attack starting to form inside, ‘ _could it be… my most trusted, most promising subordinate got herself pregnant?’_

“Damn it Tashigi!!” He slams his desk, “ How could you be so careless!!”

_‘Wait, how could the Strawhats know about it first? Did they know who is the father?’_

Smoker slowly examines the content of the packages, all the greeting cards, and suddenly realizing one thing. There are only nine cards, which is means, it missed one person. After quick scanning and he know who is it,

_‘RORONOA ZORO!!!’_

  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> And this story will not be this good if not for my two wonderful betas [Inurshuh](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inurshuh/pseuds/Inurshuh) and [ni21](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ni21/pseuds/ni21)  
> They have endured my draft, reading it, give me pointers, basically helping me shaping my story to the final version you are reading. Kudos and much love for both of you!


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